The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-25
MILLIONS IN MINERALS.
THE VALUE AND AMOUNT OF
LAST YEARS PRODUCTION.

Notable Increase in Both Respects
A Total Gain of $37ooo,ooO Pig
ron Takes Big Jump to the Front
Silver Shows a Slight Falling Off
More Coal Produced, But Its Value
Decreased.
WASHINGTON, July 24.--The following
condensed statement of the production of
the more important minerals of the United
States in the calendar year 1886 is issued by
the United States Geological Survey in adj
vance of a report on the mineral resources
of the United States, prepared by David
T. Day, Chief the Division of Mining Sta
tstics and Technology:
Notably increased production and also in
crease in value have been the general char
rcteristics of the mineral industries during
1885,
THE INCREASE IN VALUE.
Ghe total value of the mineral products
increased in round numbers from $42S, ,OGO,-
boo in 1885 to $465, 100000 in 1886. The i'm
portant factor in this gain of S37 ,0O0, 900
was the increased production of pig iron
from 4, ,044 ,525 long tons in 1885 to s, 1888, 500
long tons in 1856, and an appreciation of
75c in the average value per ton, making a
total gain of $50, 4S3, $50 in this industry
alone
SUMMARIZED INDIVIDUALLY.
The condition of the individual industries
is summarized as follows. The principal
iron statistics for 1886 were
Domestic iron ore consumed, 100000
ong tons; value at the mills, S2S, S,000, 900.
Imported iron ore consumed, 1,039, ,433
ong tons; total iron ore consumed IL ,039,-
80 long tons
Pig iron made, 5,6S9, ,329 long. tons; an in
Tease of / ,63S, SOB tons, as compared with
1856 value at furnace, S95, 1876, 76O, or $3O,-
1880 more than in 1886
Total spot value of all iron and steel in
the first stage of manufacture, excluding all
Implications, Sl42, 100000, an increase of
1860, 900 as compared with 1885.
The total value of the gold produced in
1885 was S35, 900 600, an increase of So, ,199,-
900 over 1885.
A DECREASE IN SILVER.
The production of silver decreased from
s5l,6OO,0O0 in 1885 to S51, ,000, 600 in 1886.
The production of copper in 1856, includ-
ing Is, 900, 900 pounds from imported py-
rites, amounted to 160,67S, ,0Sl pounds, val
led at $780, 469, SOB, a decrease of 10, ,2S4, ,526
pounds and 81, ,S23, 496 in value from 1885.
The average price of copper i'll 1886 declined
10 lU4C. per pOuIlu
The total production of lead increased to
1859 tons in 1896, valued at $l2, ,667, ,749 at
an average value of S93. 40 per short ton in
New York
WHITE LEADS PRODUCTION.
The product of white lead in 1886 is estt-
mated at 60, 900 short tons, worth, at 6Ac
per pound, 81 500, ,OO0
The total value of the oxides of lead was
about 81, ,535, ,0O0
The zinc production was AZ, ,641 short tons,
valued at $SS per short ton, an increase of
1853 short tons, and $2l2, ,552 in value over
1856
Zinc oxide zinc white) was also made di-
recty from ores, to the amount of $4,000
short tons valued at $1.440,000
FLAsKs OF QUICKSILVER.
In 1885 the production of quicksilver in
California was 29.9Sl TASKS, or 2,291, ,547
pounds valued at 81 ,060, 900. This is de-
crease of 2,092 TASKS, but the total value
shows an increase of $S0,S11, due to the in
crease in price. The total production of all
kinds of coal in 1886, inclusive of that con-
sumed at the mines, known as colliery con-
SUMPTION was 107 ,6S2, 200 short tons, val
led at Sl47, 112, ,755 at the mines. The total
production of all kinds of coal shows a net
Sain of l ,7S5, ,SS1 short tons compared with
oS5, but loss in spot value of 81, 4,4l9, APO.